5 replies so far

I’ve only used Abranet sheets, not discs, but they live up their reputation. Very expensive but they cut fast and clog slow. I’m not sure they are worth the price, but they are the best I’ve tried. Festool sanding discs are outstanding quality, long lasting, cut well, but expensive. Most everything else (3M, Norton, Diablo, etc.) is about the same although I have a preference toward Norton. Sungold and Harbor Freight are terrible and not worth owning unless you get them nigh free. Sungold discs lose about half their abrasive in the first 30 seconds.

I m curious as to your favorite hook and loop style sanding discs? Also, what are your experiences (good and bad) with the Abranet/Mirka sanding discs?

- eflanders

The Abranet is my favorite for sure. I started using them after buying a variety pack at Woodcraft that was on sale. Later, another local woodworking store had a 25% off on any 5 boxes, so I stocked up on the standard grits from 80 to 320. They are boxes of 50 disks, and considering how long they last, I’m set for a long time to come. As long as you don’t corn them up, they last at least 10 times longer than regular disks.

The only downside I found is that occasionally the loops give up and the disk won’t stick. That hasn’t happened since I got more sanders and don’t change grits as often doing a project. I think it was the “rip off the 120, put on the 180, rip off the 180…” routine that they didn’t like.

Also, their interface pads seem to really help, and if nothing else, help lessen the wear on the hooks on the sander pad.

-- No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery.

Rich is spot on. I discovered Abranet and won’t look back. There are a few issues as Rich mentioned.

The thinness and open pore design of the Abranet disks allows the hooks on a regular sanding pad to protrude through the disk and they can rub and overheat destroying their ability to hold. That is why Mirka offers the interface pad. Another issue is the unique hole design in the Mirka system. The interface pad has a LOT of holes, but they do not align perfectly with the holes on my plain old vanilla Bosch ROS. I got a set of hole punches from Harbor Freight and used a regular sanding disk to determine the best way to add the necessary holes in the interface pad. It works great.

As far as I can tell everything they claim about Abranet is true. Fast cutting, long lasting, superior dust collection.

The thinness and open pore design of the Abranet disks allows the hooks on a regular sanding pad to protrude through the disk and they can rub and overheat destroying their ability to hold. That is why Mirka offers the interface pad.

I didn’t know that, but it makes perfect sense. Learn something new every day. I never messed with the holes because the dust collection seemed to be working fine. Maybe it could be better if I do the punches you did. Did you try any before-and-after sanding tests?

-- No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery.

I do not recall where I read about the issue with the hooks. I will do some searching to see if I can find it again. It really does make sense. Standard disks do not let the hooks penetrate through, but the Abranet system does and that can create a problem.

I bought a two pack of the interface disks and I am still using the original after many, hours of sanding. I think that the interface disk is about as bulletproof as a regular pad with regular disks.

Adding the extra holes was easy, and it did not seem to compromise the stability of the interface disk in any way.